Plastic collapsible sun hat



July 16, 1963 A. J. LEBLANC PLASTIC COLLAPSIBLE sun HAT Filed March 29, 1961 United States atent 3,097,363 PLASTIC COLLAPSIBLE SUN HAT Allan J. Le Blane, 53 Laurier Ave. E., Ottawa, Ontario 2, Canada Filed Mar. 29, 1961, Ser. No. 99,141 2 Claims. (Cl. 2177) This invention relates to a collapsible plastic sun hat, particularly to a hat that can be inflated to a desired shape.

At present there are many types of head coverings for men, women and children which are made in some cases of stiff material shaped to a particular form and in other cases are made of other material which is braced with a wire form to produce a particular shape of hat. The objection to these types of hats is that they cannot be collapsed and stored in a small space. There are also other hats made of flexible materials such as those worn by fishermen, sailors or children. The objection to these types of hats is that they cannot be extended into a fixed shape. The brims, if any, do not provide protection again the sun or rain.

The main object of this invention is to provide a plastic collapsible sun hat that is durable, inexpensive to manufacture and simple in construction.

Another object is to provide a plastic collapsible sun hat that can be collapsed or extended very quickly.

Another object is to provide a plastic collapsible sun hat that occupies a very small space when collapsed.

Another object is to provide a plastic collapsible sun hat when in extended position maintains its particular shape and size.

Another object is to provide a plastic collapsible sun hat that is lightweight and cool to wear.

The above objects are accomplished by providing a plastic collapsible sun hat which has a flexible frame which is formed of flexible air hose or tube with soft plastic or other suitable material extending over and between the air hose or tube. The air hose or tube extends around the brim and over the crown of the hat. An extension is provided at a suitable part of the air hose or tube for inflating the hose or tube to expand the bat to proper shape. A ring or suitable opening in the plastic material is provided for placing the bent end of the inflating extension in sealed position and thus maintain the hat in extended position after it has been inflated. The plastic material is provided with sufiicient air vents for providing coolness and ventilation to the head of the wearer.

The invention consists in the novel arrangements, combinations and construction of parts hereinafter described and shown in the drawings.

FIGURE is a perspective view in elevation of the plastic collapsible sun hat;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the plastic collapsible sun hat;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view on the line AA shown in FIGURE 2 of the plastic collapsible sun hat;

FIGURE 4 is a part elevational cross section view of the plastic collapsible sun hat showing one form of seal for the inflation tubes;

FIGURE 5 is a part elevational cross section view of the plastic collapsible sun hat showing another form of seal for the inflation tubes.

Referring to the drawing, particularly FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the hat consists of a brim 1 and a crown 2. Flexible air tubes 3, 4, 5 and 6 form part of the crown 2 of the bat. A flexible air tube 7 which forms the base of the crown 2 is connected to the flexible air tubes 3, 4, 5 and 6. The combined length of tubes 3 and 5 and 3,097,363 Patented July 16, 1963 tubes 4 and 6 is greater than the diameter of the annulus formed by the tube 7, so that when inflated the tubes '3, 5 and tubes 4, '6 assume an arched position. Soft plastic material 8, 9, 10 and 11 is connected to the tubes 3, 4, 5 and 6 and 7 to form the other parts of the crown 2. Ventilation openings 26 are shown in the plastic materials 8, 9, 10 and 11.

Flexible air tubes 12, 13, 14 and 15 form part of the brim -1 land are connected to the flexible air tube 7. A flexible air tube 16 forms the outer rim of the brim '1 and is connected to the flexible air tubes 12, 13, 14 and 15. Soft plastic material 17, 18, 19 and 20 is connected to the tubes 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 to form the other parts of the brim 1. A flexible air tube extension 21 for inflating the tubes is shown in FIGURE 1 in sealed position and in FIGURES 2 and 3 in open position.

FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4 show one form of sealing the extension air tube 21. A metal ring 22 is fastened to any of the plastic materials near where the air tube extension 21 is connected. The metal ring 22 may be placed on the upper or lower side of the brim or crown as desired, but must be placed at the desired distance from the air tube extension 21 so that when the air tube extension 21 is bent upon itself as shown at 23 in FIG- URE 4 to form an air seal the bent end can be placed in the ring 22.

FIGURE 5 shows another modification for locking the flexible air tube extension 21 in sealed position. A piece of plastic material 24 is shown fastened to the lower side of the plastic material of the brim 1. The plastic material 24 is provided with an opening 25 to receive the end of the flexible air tube extension when bent inwards as shown in FIGURE 5 and thus form an air seal.

In operation when it is desired to use the hat, the user inflates the hat by blowing air through the air tube extension 21 -from which the air passes through all the tubes in the brim 1 and the crown 2. After the bat is inflated the end of the extension tube 21 is bent upon itself and passed through the ring 22, or if the type shown in FIGURE 5 is used it is placed through the opening 25 of the plastic material 24.

A cord may be attached to the hat at any convenient point to prevent it being blown away, as the hat is particularly lightweight.

It is understood that any suitable material may be used for the hat as long as it is airtight for the tubes and strong enough to retain the hat in inflated position.

Also the design of [the bat may be other than that shown in the drawings and described above.

While the invention has been shown and described with particular reference to specific embodiments, it is understood it is not to be limited thereto but is to be construed broadly and limited only by the scope of the claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

'1. A collapsible hat comprising a brim formed of inner and outer annular flexible tubes connected together by a series of radial flexible tubes in combination therewith and webs of plastic material between the annular and radial tubes and a crown formed of flexible tubes extending transversely of the inner annular tube of said brim connected together at their point of intersection and webs of plastic material between the transverse tubes and inner annular tube, said transverse tubes being of greater length than the diameter of the annulus formed by the inner annular tube and in communication with said tube whereby the transverse tubes upon inflation 3 assume an arched position and means for introducing air 2,118, into the tubes for inflating the same. 2. A collapsible hat as described in claim 1 wherein 2,303,015 the Webs of plastic material of the crown are provided 2,364,201 with a series of perforations. 5

References Cited in the file of this patent 484,489

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,560,073 B ontempi et a1. Nov. 3, 1925 4 Harrison May 24, 1938 Delano Mar. 25, 1947 Milone Aug. 20, 1957 Leise Dec. 16, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Italy Sept. 10, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES German application 1,085,428, printed July 14, 1960, 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE HAT COMPRISING A BRIM FORMED OF INNER AND OUTER ANNULAR FLEXIBLE TUBES CONNECTED TOGETHER BY A SERIES OF RADIAL FLEXIBLE TUBES IN COMBINATION THEREWITH AND WEBS OF PLASTIC MATERIAL BETWEEN THE ANNULAR AND RADIAL TUBES AND A CROWN FORMED OF FLEXIBLE TUBES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE INNER ANNULAR TUBE OF SAID BRIM CONNECTED TOGETHER AT THEIR POINT OF INTERSECTION AND WEBS OF PLASTIC MATERIAL BETWEEN THE TRANSVERSE TUBES AND INNER TUBE, SAID TRANSVERSE TUBES BEING OF GREATER LENGTH THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE ANNULUS FORMED 